jamesclavell.noblehouse-第90节

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　〃Hope　so。　Sorry　…　bloody　business。〃
　〃Yes。〃　Dunross　got　into　the　back　of　the　Silver　Cloud。　〃Golden　Ferry；〃　he　said　crisply。
　
　Sir　Geoffrey　was　pouring　the　fine　sherry　into　two　exquisite；　eggshell　porcelain　cups。　〃This　AMG　business　is　quite　frightening；　Roger；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　afraid　I'm　still　not　inured　to　treachery；　betrayal　and　the　rotten　lengths　the　enemy　will　go　to　…　even　after　all　this　time。〃　Sir　Geoffrey　had　been　in　the　Diplomatic　Corps　all　of　his　working　life；　except　for　the　war　years　when　he　was　a　staff　officer　in　the　British　Army。　He　spoke　Russian；　Mandarin；　French　and　Italian。　〃Dreadful。〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃　Crosse　watched　him。　〃You're　sure　you　can　trust　Ian？〃
　〃On　Friday　you　won't　need　London's　clearance　to　proceed。　You　have　an　Order　in　Council。　On　Friday　we　take　possession。〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃　Crosse　accepted　the　porcelain　cup；　its　fragility　bothering　him。　〃Thank　you；　sir。〃
　〃I　suggest　you　have　two　men　in　the　bank　vaults　at　all　times；　one　SI；　one　CID　for　safety；　and　a　plainclothes　guard　on　the　tai…pan　…　quietly；　of　course。〃
　〃I'll　arrange　about　the　bank　before　I　leave。　I've　already　put　him　under　blanket　surveillance。〃
　〃You've　already　done　it？〃
　〃On　him？　Yes　sir。　I　presumed　he'd　manipulate　the　situation　to　suit　his　purposes。　Ian's　a　very　tricky　fellow。　After　all；　the　tai…pan　of　the　Noble　House　is　never　a　fool。〃
　〃No。　Health！〃　They　touched　glasses　delicately。　The　ring　of　the　pottery　was　beautiful。　〃This　tai…pan's　the　best　I've　dealt　with。〃
　〃Did　Ian　mention　if　he'd　reread　all　the　files　recently；　sir？　Last　night；　for　instance？〃
　Sir　Geoffrey　frowned；　rethinking　their　conversation　this　morning。　〃I　don't　think　so。　Wait　a　minute；　he　did　say　。。。　exactly　he　said；　'When　I　first　read　the　reports　I　thought　some　of　AMG's　ideas　were　too　farfetched。　But　now　…　and　now　that　he's　dead；　I've　changed　my　mind　。。。'　That　could　imply　he's　reread　them　recently。　Why？〃
　Crosse　was　examining　the　paper…thin　porcelain　cup　against　the　light。　〃I've　often　heard　he's　got　a　remarkable　memory。　If　the　files　in　the　vaults　are　untouchable　。。。　well；　I　wouldn't　want　the　KGB　tempted　to　snatch　him。〃
　〃Good　God；　you　don't　think　they'd　be　that　stupid；　do　you？　The　tai…pan？〃
　〃It　depends　what　importance　they　put　on　the　reports；　sir；〃　Crosse　said　dispassionately。　〃Perhaps　our　surveillance　should　be　relatively　open　…　that　should　scare　them　off　if　they　happen　to　have　that　in　mind。　Would　you　mention　it　to　him；　sir？〃
　〃Certainly。〃　Sir　Geoffrey　made　a　note　on　his　pad。　〃Good　idea。　Damnable　business。　Could　the　Werewolves　。。。　could　there　be　a　link　between　the　smuggled　guns　and　the　John　Chen　kidnapping？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　sir。　Yet。　I've　put　Armstrong　and　Brian　Kwok　on　to　the　case。　If　there's　a　connection　they'll　find　it。〃　He　watched　the　dying　sunlight　on　the　pale；　powder　blue　translucence　of　the　porcelain　that　seemed　to　enhance　the　golden　sheen　of　the　dry　La　Ina　sherry。　〃Interesting；　the　play　of　colors。〃
　〃Yes。　They're　T'ang　Ying　…　named　after　the　director　of　the　Emperor's　factory　in　1736。　Emperor　Ch'en　Leung　actually。〃　Sir　Geoffrey　looked　up　at　Crosse。　〃A　deep…cover　spy　in　my　police；　in　my　Colonial　Office；　my　Treasury　Department；　the　naval　base；　the　Victoria；　telephone　pany；　and　even　the　Noble　House。　They　could　paralyze　us　and　create　untold　mischief　between　us　and　the　PRC。〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃　Crosse　peered　at　the　cup。　〃Seems　impossible　that　it　should　be　so　thin。　I've　never　seen　such　a　cup　before。〃
　〃You're　a　collector？〃
　〃No　sir。　Afraid　I　don't　know　anything　about　them。〃
　〃These're　my　favorites；　Roger；　quite　rare。　They're　called　t'o　t'ai　…　without　body。　They're　so　thin　that　the　glazes；　inside　and　out；　seem　to　touch。〃
　〃I'm　almost　afraid　to　hold　it。〃
　〃Oh；　they're　quite　strong。　Delicate　of　course　but　strong。　Who　could　be　Arthur？〃
　Crosse　sighed。　〃There's　no　clue　in　this　report。　None。　I've　read　it　fifty　times。　There　must　be　something　in　the　others；　whatever　Dunross　thinks。〃
　〃Possibly。〃
　The　delicate　cup　seemed　to　fascinate　Crosse。　〃Porcelain's　a　clay；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Yes。　But　this　type　is　actually　made　from　a　mixture　of　two　clays；　Roger；　kaolin　…　after　the　hilly　district　of　Kingtehchen　where　it's　found　…　and　pan　tun　tse；　the　so…called　little　white　blocks。　Chinese　call　these　the　flesh　and　the　bones　of　porcelain。〃　Sir　Geoffrey　walked　over　to　the　ornate　leather…topped　table　that　served　as　a　bar　and　brought　back　the　decanter。　It　was　about　eight　inches　high　and　quite　translucent；　almost　transparent。　〃The　blue's　remarkable　too。　When　the　body's　quite　dry；　cobalt　in　powder　form's　blown　onto　the　porcelain　with　a　bamboo　pipe。　Actually　the　color's　thousands　of　individual　tiny　specks　of　blue。　Then　it's　glazed　and　fired　…　at　about　1300　degrees。〃　He　put　it　back　on　the　bar；　the　touch　of　the　workmanship　and　the　sight　of　it　pleasing　him。
　〃Remarkable。〃
　〃There　was　always　an　Imperial　Edict　against　their　export。　We　quai　loh　were　only　entitled　to　articles　made　out　of　hua　shih；　slippery　stone；　or　tun　ni　…　brick　mud。〃　He　looked　at　his　cup　again；　as　a　connoisseur。　〃The　genius　who　made　this　probably　earned　100　dollars　a　year。〃
　〃Perhaps　he　was　overpaid；〃　Crosse　said　and　the　two　men　smiled　with　one　another。
　〃Perhaps。〃
　〃I'll　find　Arthur；　sir；　and　the　others。　You　can　depend　on　it。〃
　〃I'm　afraid　I　have　to；　Roger。　Both　the　minister　and　I　agree。　He　will　have　to　inform　the　Prime　Minister　…　and　the　Chiefs　of　Staff。〃
　〃Then　the　information　has　to　go　through　all　sorts　of　hands　and　tongues　and　the　enemy'll　be　bound　to　find　out　that　we　may　be　on　to　them。〃
　〃Yes。　So　we'll　have　to　work　fast。　I　bought　you　four　days'　grace；　Roger。　The　minister　won't　pass　anything　on　for　that　time。〃
　〃Bought；　sir？〃
　〃Figuratively　speaking。　In　life　one　acquires　and　gives　IOUs　…　even　in　the　Diplomatic　Corps。〃
　〃Yes　sir。　Thank　you。〃
　〃Nothing　on　Bartlett　and　Miss　Casey？〃
　〃No　sir。　Rosemont　and　Langan　have　asked　for　up…to…date　dossiers。　There　seems　to　be　some　connection　between　Bartlett　and　Banastasio　…　we're　not　sure　yet　what　it　is。　Both　he　and　Miss　Tcholok　were　in　Moscow　last　month。〃
　〃Ah！〃　Sir　Geoffrey　replenished　the　cups。　〃What　did　you　do　about　that　poor　fellow　Voranski？〃
　〃I　sent　the　body　back　to　his　ship；　sir。〃　Crosse　told　him　the　gist　of　his　meeting　with　Rosemont　and　Langan　and　about　the　photographs。
　〃That's　a　stroke　of　luck！　Our　cousins　are　getting　quite　smart；〃　the　governor　said。　〃You'd　better　find　those　assassins　before　the　KGB　do　…　or　the　CIA；　eh？〃
　〃I　have　teams　around　the　house　now。　As　soon　as　they　appear　we'll　grab　them。　We'll　hold　them　inmunicado　of　course。　I've　tightened　security　all　around　the　Ivanov。　No　one　else'll　slip　through　the　net；　I　promise　you。　No　one。〃
　〃Good。　The　police　missioner　said　he'd　ordered　CID　to　be　more　alert　too。〃　Sir　Geoffrey　thought　a　moment。　〃I'll　send　a　minute　to　the　secretary　about　your　not　plying　with　the　1…4a。　American　liaison　in　London's　sure　to　be　very　upset；　but　under　the　circumstances；　how　could　you　obey？〃
　〃If　I　might　suggest；　it　might　be　better　to　ask　him　not　to　mention　we　haven't　got　the　files　yet；　sir。　That　information　might　also　get　into　the　wrong　hands。　Leave　well　alone；　as　long　as　we　can。〃
　〃Yes；　I　agree。〃　The　governor　sipped　his　sherry。　〃There's　lots　of　wisdom　in　laissez…faire；　isn't　there？〃
　〃Yes　sir。〃
　Sir　Geoffrey　glanced　at　his　watch。　〃I'll　phone　him　in　a　few　minutes；　catch　him　before　lunch。　Good。　But　there's　one　problem　I　can't　leave　alone：　the　Ivanov。　This　morning　I　heard　from　our　unofficial　intermediary　that　Peking　views　that　ship's　presence　here　with　the　greatest　concern。〃　The　quite　unofficial　spokesman　for　the　PRC　in　Hong　Kong　and　the　ranking　munist　appointment　was　believed　to　be；　presently；　one　of　the　deputy　chairmen　of　the　Bank　of　China；　China's　central　bank　through　which　passed　all　foreign　exchange　and　all　the　billion　U。S。　dollars　earned　by　supplying　consumer　goods　and　almost　all　Hong　Kong's　food　and　water。　Britain　had　always　maintained；　bluntly；　that　Hong　Kong　was　British　soil；　a　Crown　Colony。　In　all　of　Hong　Kong's　history；　since　1841；　Britain　had　never　allowed　any　official　Chinese　representative　to　reside　in　the　Colony。　None。
　〃He　went　out　of　his　way　to　jiggle　me　about　the　Ivanov；〃　Sir　Geoffrey　continued；　〃and　he　wanted　to　register　Peking's　extreme　displeasure　that　a　Soviet　spy　ship　was　here。　He　even　suggested　I　might　think　it　wise　to　expel　it。　。。。　After　all；　he　said；　we　hear　one　of　the　Soviet　KGB　spies　posing　as　a　seaman　had　actually　got　himself　killed　on　our　soil。　I　thanked　him　for　his　interest　and　told　him　I'd　advise　my　superiors　…　in　due　course。〃　Sir　Geoffrey　sipped　some　sherry。　〃Curiously；　he　didn't　appear　irritated　that　the　nuclear　carrier　was　here。〃
　〃That's　strange！〃　Crosse　was　equally　surprised。　〃Does　that　indicate　another　policy　shift　…　a　distinct　significant　foreign…policy　change；　a　desire　for　peace　with　the　U。S。？　I　can't　believe　that。　Everything　indicates　pathological　hatred　of　the　U。S。A。〃
　The　governor　sighed　and　refilled　the　cups。　〃If　it　leaked　that　Sevrin's　in　existence；　that　we're　undermined　here　。。。　God　almighty；　they'd　go　into　convulsions；　and　rightly　so！〃
　〃We'll　find　the　traitors；　sir；　don't　worry。　We'll　find　them！〃
　〃Will　we？　I　wonder。〃　Sir　Geoffrey　sat　down　at　the　window　seat　and　stared　out　at　the　manicured　lawns　and　English　garden；　shrubs；　flower　beds　surrounded